Ranieri got emotional after AS Roma
defeated Milan 3-1 in the Serie A, keeping their top-four hopes alive for a
UEFA Champions League spot. This was Roma's last home game of the season, and
Ranieri's penultimate at the club.
AS Roma currently sit fifth in the Serie A table with 66 points. However, they can qualify for the Champions League if Juventus drop points in the final round of fixtures and Roma come out with a victory against Torino next Sunday. Ranieri was appointed by the board in November 2024.
What Happen?
During his tenure, the club witnessed a 19-game unbeaten streak,
which helped them keep their hopes intact for the continental top-flight next
season.
The 73-year-old Italian manager said: "They stood with me from the first day, they know my character. I told them that they had to help me, because I couldn’t do it on my own.
I put my
faith in them, because when I arrived, their mood really was rock bottom and
they had barely any self-esteem left. We slowly managed to climb that
mountain."
In a night filled with emotion, grit, and hope, Roma head coach Claudio Ranieri stood on the sidelines with tears welling in his eyes. The final whistle had just blown at the Stadio Olimpico, and the scoreboard told the story: Roma 2, AC Milan 1.
But what that scoreboard didn’t capture was the sheer determination of a Roma side fighting to keep their Champions League hopes alive a cause they rallied behind under the stewardship of a passionate, returning legend.
Ranieri, the 73-year-old Roman native and
one of the most respected figures in European football, embraced his players
one by one as they left the pitch. The victory was not just a three-point boost it was a declaration of intent, a signal to their rivals that Roma was not
ready to give up on their European ambitions.
The Match That Meant Everything
Heading into the match, both Roma and AC
Milan were locked in a tight race for a top-four finish in Serie A. The stakes
were enormous. With Juventus and Inter Milan already securing their spots in
next season’s UEFA Champions League, that left just two more positions up for
grabs and four clubs battling fiercely for them. Roma, sitting in fifth
before kickoff, knew that anything less than a win would deal a serious blow to
their chances.
AC Milan, a club with its own storied
European history, came to the capital in high spirits. But Roma, buoyed by a
sold-out home crowd and the galvanizing presence of Ranieri on the touchline,
had other ideas.
From the first whistle, Roma showed urgency
and commitment. Midfield maestro Lorenzo Pellegrini dictated the tempo early
on, while captain Gianluca Mancini marshaled the defense with authority. The
breakthrough came in the 28th minute, when Paulo Dybala on loan from Juventus curled a stunning free kick into the top corner. The Olimpico erupted.
Milan responded with a goal of their own in
the 52nd minute through Olivier Giroud, who rose above the Roma defense to nod
home a well-placed cross. The tension grew, but Roma didn’t panic. They
regrouped, and in the 78th minute, a surging run from Stephan El Shaarawy
opened up space on the left. His low cross was met by Tammy Abraham, who
slotted home what would prove to be the winner.
Ranieri’s Return and His Emotional Bond
With Roma
Claudio Ranieri’s return to Roma in the
middle of the season had raised eyebrows. After Jose Mourinho’s departure and a
string of poor results, the club turned to a familiar face the man who had
once guided them to a second-place finish and who famously led Leicester City
to the Premier League title in 2016.
But this was more than a tactical
appointment. Ranieri’s connection to Roma is deeply personal. Born in the
Trastevere district of Rome, he grew up idolizing the club. He has coached all
over Europe, but his love for Roma has always remained close to his heart.
Speaking after the game, Ranieri could
barely contain his emotions.
“This club means everything to me,” he
said, his voice cracking. “These players, the fans, this city they all
deserve nights like this. I’m proud of my boys. They gave everything out there
tonight.”
He continued, "When I came back, I
didn’t promise miracles. But I promised heart. And today, we played with
heart.”
Ranieri’s press conference, usually filled
with tactical talk and measured responses, turned into a heartfelt monologue
about belief, resilience, and the power of unity.
A Team Reborn Under Ranieri
Since Ranieri took over, Roma’s form has
dramatically improved. Where the team once looked disjointed and inconsistent,
they now play with structure, purpose, and most importantly, belief. The
veteran manager brought back a simple yet effective style of football,
emphasizing defensive discipline, quick transitions, and team spirit.
One of the biggest transformations has been the resurgence of players who had previously struggled under Mourinho. El Shaarawy, long plagued by injuries and inconsistency, looks rejuvenated.
Dybala, who had often drifted in and out of games, now plays with freedom and
confidence. Even the younger talents, like Edoardo Bove and Nicola Zalewski,
have found a new lease on life under Ranieri.
“When Mister Ranieri speaks, we listen,”
said Lorenzo Pellegrini after the match. “He knows what this club means. He
talks to us not just as a coach, but as a Roman, as someone who feels what we
feel. Tonight’s win was for him.”
The Fans Feel the Change
The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was
electric from start to finish. Roma fans, who had grown frustrated and
disillusioned earlier in the season, now chant Ranieri’s name with pride.
Flares lit up the Curva Sud. Banners reading “Con Ranieri, Sempre Roma” (“With
Ranieri, Always Roma”) waved in the night sky.
Francesco, a lifelong Roma supporter in his
60s, spoke with tears in his eyes after the game. “We’ve seen many managers,
many players. But with Ranieri, it’s different. He understands us. This win
feels like it came from the soul of the club.”
Indeed, the unity between the team, the
fans, and the manager is something rarely seen in modern football. It's a
connection that goes beyond tactics or points. It's emotional, tribal, and
deeply human.
Champions League Still Within Reach
With the win, Roma jumped into fourth
place, overtaking Atalanta and drawing level with Milan on points though
ahead on head-to-head results. With just four matches remaining in the season,
every point now becomes critical.
The road ahead won’t be easy. Roma still
have to face Napoli away, a tricky home game against Torino, and what could be
a decisive final-day clash with Fiorentina. But for the first time in months,
there is real belief coursing through the club.
“We know it’s not over,” Ranieri said. “We
have to fight for every point. But if we play like this with courage, with
heart then anything is possible.”
A Legacy Beyond the Touchline
While Ranieri has stated this may be his
final stint as manager, his impact will be long-lasting. Even if Roma fall
short in their Champions League quest, the emotional resurgence, the reawakened
spirit of the club, will remain a defining legacy.
He has reminded fans and players alike of
what Roma is supposed to be: not just a football club, but a symbol of
identity, of pride, and of relentless hope.
In a footballing world increasingly
dominated by money and metrics, Ranieri's story and this Roma revival serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes, emotion still has a place in the
game. That heart can still triumph, even in a world that often forgets it.
As the team walked off the pitch hand in hand, with the crowd singing “Roma, Roma, Roma” in unison, there was a sense that something special had happened.
Not just a win but a moment of belonging, of unity, of shared purpose. And at the centre of it all was Claudio Ranieri: emotional, proud, and, once again, the beating heart of AS Roma.
